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Let's say I'm a Pact of the Blade Warlock that's looking for a specific type of weapon to be my pact weapon (e.g. a hand crossbow), but a magic one never shows up in treasure. Can I get a Wizard to use the Magic Weapon spell to turn a regular, store-bought hand crossbow into a magic one, and then bond with it as my Pact Weapon only using the rules in the PHB (no Unearthed Arcana)?

Here is the Sage Advice saying that Warlocks can make ranged weapons their pact weapons.

The Magic Weapon spell description reads:

Casting time: 1 Bonus action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You touch a nonmagical weapon. Until the spell ends that weapon becomes a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

At higher levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the bonus increases to +2. When you use a spell slot of 6th or higher, the bonus increases to +3.

The Pact of the Blade bonding ritual description reads:

You can transform one Magic Weapon into your pact weapon by performing a Special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a Short Rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The weapon ceases being your pact weapon if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.

  • There is nothing that says the weapon ceases to be your pact weapon if it loses its magic

  • The Magic Weapon spell can make a weapon magic for long enough to complete the ritual

So, would I be able to use this method to have a store-bought weapon become my pact weapon?

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3 Answers 3

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Yes, but...

You could, however once the Magic Weapon spell ends that weapon will no longer have the plus one to attack and damage rolls that said spell gives. However it will still remain your pact weapon. The wording does not mention that the item's bond would break if the weapon became non magical. The only ways it can no longer be your pact weapon are stated within the question.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ That makes sense. I just wasn't sure since the ritual specifies "one Magic Weapon" and the weapon is no longer magic after the hour ends. I think the distinction comes from the magic weapon requirement being for the ritual to bond with the weapon, not a requirement of the pact weapon, itself. That's what I was unsure of. \$\endgroup\$ Jul 18, 2017 at 20:19
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It can become a pact weapon, but it loses the properties of magic weapon when the spell expires.

The Pact of the Blade feature states:

You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon.

Magic weapon states:

Until the spell ends, that weapon becomes a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls.

So the weapon becomes a magic weapon, which makes it eligible for the Pact Weapon feature, but as the spell description states, it loses the +1 bonus when the spell ends. Nothing in the Pact of the Blade feature or the magic weapon spell description gives any indication that the magical properties of the weapon are made permanent with this interaction.

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Rules as Written

I believe that, RAW, this is not forbidden, though I'm not sure it is the best option to get what you're looking for. I agree that this seems like it was an unexpected side effect.

UA Alternative

If the goal is just to get a ranged pact weapon, and your warlock is a Fey Pact and your DM allows UA material, you may want to talk to your DM about the Moon Bow in the Wizard and Warlock Unearthed Arcana.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Consider the possibility of the timing not working out. It probably does, but if magic weapon lasts an hour and it takes an hour for pact weapon... Does the effect end before the pact is complete? \$\endgroup\$
    – NotArch
    Jul 17, 2017 at 21:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ I imagine that both characters (the Wizard using the Magic Weapon spell and the Warlock beginning his ritual) touch the weapon at the same time, and then the Wizard spends 1 hour concentrating on the spell while the Warlock completes the ritual. \$\endgroup\$ Jul 17, 2017 at 21:33

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